Cal - University of California at Berkeley

If there is one university in the state of Californiaperformance of the track and field team that year,
that has maintained many school traditions for allUC Berkeley professor Charles Mills Gayley created a
these years, it is the University of California atsong entitled "The Golden Bear." Since then, the
Berkeley, also known as Berkeley, UC BerkeleyCalifornia sports teams have been called by that
California, or simply Cal. This university, which wasname. Berkeley's mascots before 1941 were live bear
established in 1868, was the first public university incubs. However, for the safety of the spectators, the
the state to be called the University of California.school decided to use costumed mascots instead. In
Nowadays, however, University of California system1941, Oski the Bear, the official mascot of Berkeley,
is composed of many UC universities all across thewas introduced. The name of the mascot came from
state.the Oski-wow-wow yell. Nowadays, there is an Oski
One of the traditions that stuck to Cal since itsCommittee whose sole purpose is to take care of
foundation is the school colors, which are gold andthe costume and also to keep secret the identity of
blue. The founders of Berkeley chose gold tothe person wearing it.
represent the Golden State and blue, which cameIn order to guard the Big C - which was often
from Yale blue, because most of the founders of thisvandalized by students of Stanford College - and
university came from Yale. Ever since the athleticother traditions and school spirits of Cal, the UC Rally
teams of the University of California at BerkeleyCommittee was established in 1901. The members of
started to join intercollegiate games in 1882, theythis committee have always been present at main
already wore gold and blue. The school's sportsspirit and sports events, they are charged with
teams, alumni, and students are called the Goldenmaintaining and caring for the large California banner,
Bears. It all started in 1895 when the track and fieldthe Big C, the California Victory Canon, Card Stunts,
team impressed a lot of people by winning five ofand the five Cal flags. Moreover, the Rally Committee
the eight competitions. As a result of the remarkableis also responsible for keeping the Stanford Axe
wins, Berkeley became known across the US as awhen ever it is in the possession of the University of
formidable athletics team. In honor of the stunningCalifornia at Berkeley.